Spanish Wine

Spanish Wines from Great Wines Direct

Wines produced in Spain have long been known around the world, although not all have enjoyed a good reputation in recent years. Spain has more than 1.17 million hectares of vineyards, and this has earned it the honour of being the nation with the most widely planted wine producing areas, however, in terms of production, it only ranks 3rd in the world, following France and Italy. The main reason for this is that the old vines are widely spaced and only produce low yields due to the infertile and dry soil that is found in so many of Spain's wine producing regions.

Spain has many native varieties of grape, and there are more than 400 different grape varieties planted across the country. Despite this, 80% of the wine produced here comes from just 20 different types of grape, including the well-known red Garnacha, Monastrell, and Tempranillo varieties, and the white Albarino, Palomino, Macabeo, and Airen varieties. There are also three types of grapes used to make cava: Parellada, Macabeo, and Xarel-lo.

The best known Spanish regions for wine production include Ribera del Duero and Rioja, both of which are famous for Tempranillo varieties. Rias Baixas, to the north-west of Galicia, is also known for producing fine white wine from the Albarino grape.

The most prevalent grape variety in Spain is the airen, which is known for its resistance to drop and its hardiness. The wines made using this grape are very high in alcohol and are also prone to oxidation. The next most frequently seen grape is the Tempranillo, which comes under a number of local names.

Today’s Spanish wine industry is becoming more modern, and this has led to more international varieties of grape being introduced to blends, including the ever-popular Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay grapes.

Read our blog - Why Spanish Wines are Among the Best in the World!

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White 11.5

Pinord Seleccion Brut Cava + and + 75cl £15.37

Refreshing citrus flavours of lemon, crisp and elegant

White 13.5

Sierra Cantabria Rioja Blanco 2025 75cl £16.12

A fresh and expressive wine reflecting the identity of La Rioja's Sonsierra region Crisp, silky and delicate with primary fresh citrus fruit, apricots and a hint of vanilla

Red 13

Heredad de Tejada Rioja Tempranillo 2024 75cl £12.66

A classic Rioja, young fresh and fruity made from grapes selected from old vineyards, between 50 and 70 years old, located in Rioja Alta It has enticing aromas of red fruits and liquorice, on the palate it has a lovely weight and a satisfying finish

White 12

Marques de Caceres Blanco 2025 75cl £12.31

Bright, straw-coloured, greenish hue On the nose it is delicately fragrant with white fruit in particular, pear, apricot and white peach Lively and refreshing on the palate, lingering with well balanced fruit, enhanced further with delicate citrus notes

Red 13.5

Hugonell, Reserva, Rioja 2020 75cl £17.17

A traditional and rich Rioja showing vanilla, red fruit and tobacco flavours, spicy and savoury

White 12.5

Bodega Cerron Matas Altas Blanco Organic 2024 75cl £28.22

Red 14

Bodega Cerron Los Yesares Monastrell 2023 75cl £47.75

This has an awesome, complex aroma that blends fruity, leafy, spicy and savoury nuances - just wonderful In the mouth it's very pure and very fresh, with satisfying weight and breadth of texture, which don't sacrifice an ounce of the vibrancy which characterises Bodega Cerron wines It has astonishing force of personality and persistence on the palate of both flavour and texture, finishing with complex hints of gaminess, liquorice and dill seed SO exciting! Los Yesares are 4 different old, ungrafted vineyards in Las Pedreras-Reventones, a high-altitude location where the district's most historic vineyards were located Steep slopes, deep calcareous sands and gravels, diverse orientations and Mediterranean forest create a more tense Monastrell profile with red forest and hedgerow fruit character, and wines capable of ageing

White 12.5

Embrujo del Campo Organic Verdejo 2025 75cl £9.29

This is a dry, restrained Spanish white, with hay and fennel flavours rounded out by plums and pears, and ending on a refined note of citrus

White 12.5

Albarino Arousa 22 Martin Codax 75cl £31.79

White 13

Bodegas Martin Codax Lias Albarino 2022 75cl £20.52

The Martin Codax Lias Albarino is beautifully aromatic, with notes of juicy pear, crisp apple and white peach, with layers of complexity from the lees ageing: yeast, vanilla and fresh-baked bread It has masses of up-front appeal from the first sip, with juicy richness, fresh fruit, cream and warm brioche notes, and a long, refined finish It comes from the Pe Redondo vineyard, and undergoes regular stirring ('batonnage') of the fine yeast lees for 6 months, followed by resting on the same lees for a year, and then a further six months in bottle This process helps develop layers of complexity and subtle, rich, creaminess, while at the same time preserving tip-top freshness This is a magnificent Albarino

Rose 13.5

J Chivite Family Estates Las Fincas Rose 2024 75cl £17.76

This delicious rose (in a beautiful bottle!) has intense aromas of strawberry, pomegranate, raspberry and rose petals It is smooth-textured, rounded and balanced, with persistence of flavour on the finish with lingering notes of cherry pie Created by Julian Chivite as an homage to his great friend and top Spanish chef Jose Maria Arzak, this food-friendly wine is made from Garnacha and Tempranillo, and has been lees-aged for six months to add creamy texture to its vibrant, fresh fruit character The grapes are grown on the Finca de Legardeta vineyard, that has belonged to the Chivite family for hundreds of years, with truly special climate and soil

Red 13

Bodegas Verum Ulterior Garnacha Parcela No 6 Organic 2020 75cl £21.50

Winemaker Elias Lopez describes this as "Spain's answer to Pinot Noir," and it's easy to see why With a unique and beautiful, transparent peach-rose colour, this is almost a rose wine, however it has concentration and complexity that's virtually never seen in rose It has classic red Burgundy aromas of ripe cherries, rosehips and earthy, leafy, 'woodland walk' nuances, alongside an alluringly fresh apricot character that is all of its own In the mouth, it is succulent and rounded, with surprising body for such pale colour, and yet such soft tannins as to be pretty much unnoticeable With a hauntingly long finish, this marvellous wine is drinking beautifully now and over the next 3-4 years at least This is crafted in the way Spanish wines used to be made before French got involved in the 19th Century It is aged underground in large clay 'tinajas'

Red 13.5

Los Yelsones 23 Cuentavinas 75cl £143.58

Red 13.5

Bodegas Ondarre, Rivallana Crianza, Rioja 2022 75cl £14.52

Savoury and mellow flavours complemented by vanilla and chocolate notes from oak ageing Traditional savoury Rioja style

White 12.5

Bodegas Ondarre, Rivallana Blanco, Rioja 2024 75cl £11.80

Fresh notes of crystalline fruits, vibrant lemon and melon lead to a zesty finish

Rose 13.5

Tandem, Casual Rose, Navarra 2024 75cl £14.80

Pale vibrant pink in colour, this richly aromatic rose has notes of wild red fruits layered with delicate floral and violet hints, leading to a fresh and lively finish